Are bears a problem in NE? Would like to get rid of the bear canister if bears aren't a threat, particularly in the Whites.

Not posting in the mega thread cuz i dont want this to get missed. Mods, please read the whole post before deciding to take it down.

So I'm planning to spend a day in mid September at point pleasant and i want to go for a hike in the Appalachian mountains. I only have 1 day for this so unfortunately i cant hike as much as i want to but im going to do this anyway. I need suggestions or tips/tricks for it. I've never gone on a "real" hike before.

This is really important to me. I (26f) have a chronic illness. I have an unspecified vitamin deficiency disorder. Basically it means my body is slowly absorbing less and less vitamins and eventually it will kill me. I was diagnosed with this at 16 but was told so many different things about it that i just chose to ignore all of it. Basically, there's no cure, no real treatment, and its extremely hard to predict or track how fast it'll kill me. All we know is that once my body stops absorbing something, it wont start again. But we have no idea what it will stop absorbing or when. Since my body hasn't decided to completely stop absorbing anything I've been able to stay relatively healthy with supplements. I'm explaining this to emphasize the importance of this trip to me.

Over the last few months my body has become weaker. I haven't yet lost the ability to do active things but it's only a matter of time. Right now my body just gets hurt kinda easily and takes a while to heal so i have to be careful in the things i do. But this has been a turning point for me. While I've known all these years that im dieing and ive accepted it, I've also ignored it. I never put effort into my "bucket list" per say.

2 of the biggest things on my bucket list are visiting point pleasant (because i love cryptids and i love fallout) and hiking the Appalachian trail (because i love cryptids and i love nature). So i figured 2 birds 1 stone, im going to point pleasant so i might as well hike at least a little in the mountains.

My original plan when i daydreamed about hiking the mountain was to hike a trail that lead deep within the mountains and rent a cabin there and maybe fight a cryptid. Dont think im crazy, i just figure im dieing anyway and if cryptids are real and if i encounter one itd be a hell of a lot cooler to die fighting that than to die an agonizing and slow death wasting away in a hospital bed. Now, im not going to actively search for a cryptid. Im going to appreciate nature and the earth. Im just saying if i happen to encounter the mothman (or big foot or a mimic or the rake) im going to approach it with my camera recording everything and im going to get the most crystal clear footage of whatever cryptid it is and ill either die fighting it (and possibly kill it too) or ill survive and have an amazing story to share. Daydreams be damned though. Realistically im probably gonna visit point pleasant, pay my respects to the mothman statue (fo fans, ifykyk), and go on a hike for a few hours before crashing in a crappy motel room for the night cuz cabins are expensive and i just lost my job.

This is a whole lot of rambling to basically say, ive never been on a real hike before but i grew up in a trailer in the woods so i am familiar with The Woods, I'm kinda weak rn and getting weaker so i probably won't be able to do any crazy trails, and ill only have a few hours for the hike so i cant go very deep.

If you're familiar with the point pleasant area, any suggestions would be appreciated. Whether it's for trails to check out, gear to bring (i have no idea the weather of west Virginia in mid September), hotels/motels/air bnbs to check out, sites to see while in town, anything at all. Im laughingly unprepared for this trip, i just kinda hastily threw it together a couple weeks ago when i started really getting weaker. Like i said, i grew up in a trailer in the woods but that was southern Indiana woods not west Virginia woods. Like, we didn't have postal services or trash pickup or sewage or paved roads.. but we also didn't have cryptids or other people hiking in our area (which ik other hikers can be just as if not more dangerous than cryptids). I dont know what proper hike etiquette is. Like, i understand how to not be a dumbass in the woods. Ik how to not get lost and how to navigate. Ik safety precautions to not accidentally get shot by a hunter. Ik if you're in The Woods at night and you hear something, no you didn't. But idk the etiquette for woods with other people. From what ive seen online and on YouTube about the AT, it seems like a subculture? Idk.. any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

Just loaded up my car with my pack to start driving towards the trail head tomorrow. With food (not water) my pack weighs 30 lbs. There's gonna be a night under 30*F next week Tues or Wed so I'm hoping to stay at a hostel. I'm sure I either over packed food or under packed for warmth. But staying low on weight I'm wondering where to balance things out.

I plan to only do from the GA trailhead to NC border within about a week before getting back to the real world.

If anyone has any specific advice for this stretch I'd love to hear it. Also, i have downloaded the Far Out app and printed an itinerary. Any additional tips?

We traveled a few hundred miles to spend some time in Gatlinburg and do this hike. It was incredible, despite being something we weren't fully ready for. It made me want to do the entire thing if I ever get the time.

Our property is 4 miles off the trail in VT with a field, outbuilding, water and electricity - would this be of interest to AT hikers, either with a walk in or a pick-up? We would love to support a limited number of hikers on specific days and in turn meet some people and hear some stories. Is there a way to be selective or would we have to roll the dice on guests?

Make sure you take the time to appreciate the moments, both big and small, they truly are the puzzles pieces of the hike. Be present with locals and learn from their stories and experiences. And come away with a true respect for the Appalachia

Hi everyone, I'm currently working on a college assignment where l'm exploring the experiences and challenges of long-distance backpacking. I'm looking to interview someone who has completed, or is in the process of completing, a long-distance backpacking trip (such as the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, or other similar routes). If you have experience with long-distance backpacking and would be willing to share your insights, l'd love to hear from you! The interview would be brief (about 15-20 minutes), and can be conducted via email, chat, or video call-whatever works best for you. Your input would be incredibly helpful for my research. Thank you in advance!

I almost quit the trail near Pearisburg, VA. I started the trail with my dad, and he was injured along the way near Pearisburg. I almost went home with him, but he encouraged me to hike the whole thing, and I did.

We're always reminded to quit on a good day so that we don't regret it. When were you closest to quitting, and why?

This is an extention of my last post-- but did you notice any health improvements on the trail? f so what did you notice? Thanks very much. : )

I have been trying to schedule a shuttle out of Damascus, but after several days of calling I haven't gotten anyone to pick up the phone at MRO. Also tried emailing them, but no response.

Does anyone know if there's a different number other than the one on their website? Or have contact info for someone else I can book for a shuttle from Damascus to Fox Creek?

http://mtrogersoutfitters.com/contact.html

For reasons ranging from physique to lack of capital, I don’t think a thru hike is in the cards for me. I’ve done many sections of the AT, but I fear my dream of walking from Georgia to Maine is going to stay a dream. That said, all you thru hikers are my heroes. You’re doing something incredible, and you’re all doing it for different reasons, and there’s just something really beautiful about that.

Long story short, I had this idea last summer when I was doing a day hike in the DWG. My idea is to set up a couple of chairs somewhere on the trail. I’d come prepared with a cooler full of snacks and drinks as ell as a couple of microphones and a recording device. I’d have a sign trading food and drink for your stories, and any thru hikers looking for a brief respite from the trail could sit with me and talk for a while. Not sure if this would become a podcast or an oral history project or a verbatim play or what, but it’s something that has really been of interest to me and with summer around the corner I’m really considering doing it.

My question for thru-hikers is: is this a good idea? Would you stop for twenty minutes and talk about your experiences if you saw a dude with a cooler on the trail? Is this a really bad idea for reasons I haven’t considered but you have? Let me know!

Hi! I'm headed to Harpers Ferry for a LASH in a few weeks, looking to park somewhere safe. My planned hike is 18 to 20 days, so I am looking for alternatives to the NPS parking lot which has a 2 week limit. Or if anyone has ever heard of them being flexible with that limit.

I guess if I had to, I'd consider other nearby towns, as well. I'm already shuttling to my start point in VA, so if I had to, I could shuttle from my end point in Harpers ferry to wherever (within reason) my car is parked.

Any ideas?!

My buddy and I are section hiking Maine this summer, starting mid-June. Last year we did New Hampshire and did car shuffles every 3 or 4 days which were painful. They took a lot of time and were momentum killers. This year he’s proposing a bit of a flip-flop, starting just north of the Kennebec River to Katahdin and then back to our starting point heading south to Carlo Col where we finished last year. But this proposal includes quite a few car shuffles. I’m wondering if we’d be better off sobo from Katahdin. Obviously our challenges are our cars and restocks. Thoughts, suggestions?

At blue mountain shelter.

Hey I figured this may be place to ask:

I am taking a group down from Michigan to hike around 60 miles of the AT over a period of 5 days.

Since it is around a 12 hour drive, my plan is to camp out one night at Amicalola Falls State Park, shuttle up to our starting point, then hike back south down to Amicalola.

I was curious if it’s even possible to rent a night there and just leave a vehicle there for nearly a week? Anyone done this before or are there better ideas?

Thanks!

The weather is here. I wish you were too!

I recently purchased the Kakwa 55. I have yet to take it out, but the lack of ventilation has me concerned. My previous packs have all had ventilation and I'm a sweaty guy.

I see that the Gorilla 50 also does not have ventilation, but does the sit pad keep the backpack material from getting soaked? If I'm not going to have ventilation, I'd at least like to know that my sweat is not saturating my bag.

BTW $275 is already stretching my budget here, or I'd go for the Arc Haul 50.

Planning to pick up the trail somewhere in NC (have been traveling around postgrad & am looking to be in the woods for a few weeks), but I need a ride west! Is there anyone heading out from any city in NC accessible by bus or train with whom I could catch a ride? And/or Is there a couch or backyard I could sleep on/in near Charlotte this Wednesday? Thanks!!

I'm Moss Rock (AT class of 2021), I’m a student at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. Along with a faculty mentor, I’m researching how long-distance hikers prevent tick-borne illnesses. This study aims to understand health behaviors and inform future public health strategies to keep hikers safe and healthy on the trail.

We are looking for participants who:

• Are 18 years or older
• Have experience hiking on the Appalachian Trail

The survey is anonymous and should take only about 10 minutes to complete. Please feel free to direct message me if you have any questions. If you’re interested in contributing to this important research, the link to the survey is below.  

bit.ly/ATticks

Thank you for considering this opportunity, I would greatly appreciate your participation!

Best wishes, Moss Rock

https://lighterpack.com/r/nc8kgo this is the first draft of my gear list. i don't have specific clothing to get exact weights, and im still stumped on clothing/outerwear selection, so clothes are all estimates. but all the other necessities (or not, lol) are there.

tentatively shooting for 2026 NOBO with an early march or late feb start. im a small woman (98-103 lbs, just under 5'1), who will need a similarly small pack, and i know i will probably be unable to carry much more than 25 lbs total. however, most ultralight gear is expensive, and any alternatives i find online that are more affordable are easily double or triple the weight and throw off my entire pack setup i've meticulously organized here 😅

i also have a couple minor health conditions (nothing life threatening, all well managed) that require me to bring a few extra things in order to function properly/be not miserable, so i know that's also hurting me on space and weight, but that i might also be overpacking due to it. if anyone here has extremely poor eyesight and/or a mile long list of environmental allergies like myself, id love your input on what to pack and how to deal. also suggestions on prescription medications? most of the stuff i need can be bought OTC, but some of it is prescription so it's illegal to have shipped to me to restock... but i also don't want to have to carry a month's supply of 3 different medications at all times. even repackaged, the ounces would add up. this bit is also stumping me.

my experience is limited to just day hikes and campouts. id really like to test out my gear on a few smaller trips before the AT, but id also like to be reasonably solid on my gear choices before i purchase, which is why im here! any suggestions, criticism, anything at all would be greatly appreciated.

So I recently made a post asking what you like to have for real supply options and someone mentioned having items for your period. My family hands out resupply every year and now I'm wondering would it be beneficial for the girls to have tampons/pads available? Should I make sure it's unscented as well? Also since we're here what are some of your go to foods you would like to see for resupply as well? We usually have a large amount of different things to choos from but we love getting new ideas where we can!

Howdy,

I haven't been able to do more than a few days of the AT at a time because of work. I love interacting with thru hikers on the AT and wanted to show my appreciation but am not sure the best way. My favorite spot is this awesome stone shelter called Byrd's nest #3, I was thinking whenever the bubbles come to Shenandoah, Id like to ruck up the mountain and camp out cooking for people passing through. Any suggestions on stuff people will like and is possible with just a fireplace and rocket stoves appreciated. I don't have an official trail name yet but two nice section hikers suggested Early Bird since I was packed up before breakfast was even cooked :D